Depriming cases with unfired primers

stev32k · 11-11-2012, 02:28 PM

In sorting though brass I pick up at the range I occasionally find empty brass with unfired primers. I just sorted a batch of 250 9mm cases and found six that had unfired primers. There was no mark where the primer had been hit with a firing pin. I've been tossing them out, but it occurs to me that I might miss one some day and wonder if there is any danger in depriming them?

I also find some unfired rounds that have a firing pin strike on the primer and I've been tossing them out also. Would it be safe to pull the bullet and save it?

Alpo · 11-11-2012, 02:43 PM

I can't understand why there would be primed cases in the "brass on the ground" at the range.

I wouldn't toss 'em. Load 'em in the gun, pop the primer, and then treat like "fired brass".

As to the ones with a firing pin strike but not fired - if they haven't gone off now, they aren't going to go off. Pull the bullet, dump the powder (do it in the yard - it is great fertilizer), treat as "fired brass" - deprime and reload.

BlackEagle · 11-11-2012, 02:55 PM

My reloading mentor suggested putting a drop or two of oil into the case, onto the "inside" of the primer, which deactivates it. I have had a few cases where I just deprimed it as normal, but very carefully. I figure if the case is empty, if the primer does go off while depriming, it'll make a big noise and force the primer out of the case.

As for the unfired rounds, go ahead and disassemble it and recycle the case and head. I'd toss the powder; you have your own new powder and recipe and you don't know what kind of powder is in the case.

It's curious that there would be empty cases with unfired primers out on the range. Could someone have started to reload them, decided the cases were bad for some reason, and discarded them?

alpo, you beat me to it while I was typing. Glad we agree. It means I got something right.

Rogeritall · 11-11-2012, 03:08 PM

I'm pretty much with everybody else on this... Why on earth would there be un-fired primed empty cases at a shooting range? Did the projectiles and powder fall out before they had a chance to shoot them????

That doesn't make any sense at all...

stev32k · 11-11-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogeritall

I'm pretty much with everybody else on this... Why on earth would there be un-fired primed empty cases at a shooting range? Did the projectiles and powder fall out before they had a chance to shoot them????

That doesn't make any sense at all...

That was going to be my next question - why would empty cases have unfired primers? They are not all the same primer either. Three are bass colored like the Winchester WSP and three are silver colored.

Dog Soldier · 11-11-2012, 04:30 PM

Bullets seated too far out of the case will jam in the forcing cone of a semi auto. This will not allow the slide to go into battery. The shooter will pull the bullet forcing the slide back. After using a rod to remove the bullet a shooter will try 2 or 3 before giving up. This is not that uncommon. The shooter just fails to pick up the brass. Shooters new to hand loading.

JLA · 11-11-2012, 04:59 PM

Ive never had one pop in the die when depriming live primers. Just go slow and easy and dont get your face near it.

Why dont you just save them until you have enough of them to justify taking the decapper rod out of your die to process them. No sense in wasting a perfectly good primer right?

ozo · 11-11-2012, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogeritall

I'm pretty much with everybody else on this... Why on earth would there be un-fired primed empty cases at a shooting range? Did the projectiles and powder fall out before they had a chance to shoot them????

That doesn't make any sense at all...

Let me go out on a limb....I don't really care anymore......

JUST BE HONEST.......you are more likely to get
honest help in return......

[P.S. My loads fall apart all the time...
all over the floor at the range....and they have
warned me, if it continues, they will bar me from
shooting there.]

stev32k · 11-11-2012, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozo

Let me go out on a limb....I don't really care anymore......

JUST BE HONEST.......you are more likely to get
honest help in return......

[P.S. My loads fall apart all the time...
all over the floor at the range....and they have
warned me, if it continues, they will bar me from
shooting there.]

Not sure if that is addressed to me or not, but if it is I have not had a single failed load of any kind. I've only fired just over 200 hand loads so far, but all of them have loaded, fired, and ejected without a problem.

Rogeritall · 11-11-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozo

Let me go out on a limb....I don't really care anymore......

JUST BE HONEST.......you are more likely to get
honest help in return......

[P.S. My loads fall apart all the time...
all over the floor at the range....and they have
warned me, if it continues, they will bar me from
shooting there.]

I don't know why you quoted me in your post, and if you "don't really care anymore" that's fine with me, but I can assure you that I'm always "Honest" in my requests for "help". By the way I've only asked two questions since becoming a member of this forum. So maybe you quoted the wrong person. If so, no harm no foul.

I had just never witnessed un-fired primed brass laying around any firing range before, and if it was mine I would have picked it up to lessen the chance of another person being possibly injured by it. But, that's just me.

bluesea112 · 11-16-2012, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozo

[P.S. My loads fall apart all the time...
all over the floor at the range....and they have
warned me, if it continues, they will bar me from
shooting there.]

Sounds to me like you need to invest in a crimp die and get some practice using it.

bluesea112 · 11-16-2012, 06:12 PM

Back on topic....I have never had a live primer go off when depriming. Just give a slow, steady push on the handle and you should be ok.

Look on the bright side. If a primer does go off and ignites some loose powder in the vicinity, the chain reaction with the rest of the powder on the table will be so fast that you won't have time to stress about it before you are reduced to carbon. (smile) Just hackin on you.

11-11-2012, 02:28 PM	#1
stev32k V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 366	Depriming cases with unfired primers In sorting though brass I pick up at the range I occasionally find empty brass with unfired primers. I just sorted a batch of 250 9mm cases and found six that had unfired primers. There was no mark where the primer had been hit with a firing pin. I've been tossing them out, but it occurs to me that I might miss one some day and wonder if there is any danger in depriming them? I also find some unfired rounds that have a firing pin strike on the primer and I've been tossing them out also. Would it be safe to pull the bullet and save it? -->

11-11-2012, 02:43 PM	#2
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,647	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers I can't understand why there would be primed cases in the "brass on the ground" at the range. I wouldn't toss 'em. Load 'em in the gun, pop the primer, and then treat like "fired brass". As to the ones with a firing pin strike but not fired - if they haven't gone off now, they aren't going to go off. Pull the bullet, dump the powder (do it in the yard - it is great fertilizer), treat as "fired brass" - deprime and reload. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

11-11-2012, 02:55 PM	#3
BlackEagle Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Posts: 3,152	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers My reloading mentor suggested putting a drop or two of oil into the case, onto the "inside" of the primer, which deactivates it. I have had a few cases where I just deprimed it as normal, but very carefully. I figure if the case is empty, if the primer does go off while depriming, it'll make a big noise and force the primer out of the case. As for the unfired rounds, go ahead and disassemble it and recycle the case and head. I'd toss the powder; you have your own new powder and recipe and you don't know what kind of powder is in the case. It's curious that there would be empty cases with unfired primers out on the range. Could someone have started to reload them, decided the cases were bad for some reason, and discarded them? alpo, you beat me to it while I was typing. Glad we agree. It means I got something right. Last edited by BlackEagle; 11-11-2012 at 02:57 PM..

11-11-2012, 03:08 PM	#4
Rogeritall V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 170	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers I'm pretty much with everybody else on this... Why on earth would there be un-fired primed empty cases at a shooting range? Did the projectiles and powder fall out before they had a chance to shoot them???? That doesn't make any sense at all... __________________ "Taking my gun away because I might shoot someone is like cutting my tongue out because I might yell `Fire!' in a crowded theater." -- Peter Venetoklis

11-11-2012, 04:30 PM	#6
Dog Soldier V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Great Desert Posts: 154	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers Bullets seated too far out of the case will jam in the forcing cone of a semi auto. This will not allow the slide to go into battery. The shooter will pull the bullet forcing the slide back. After using a rod to remove the bullet a shooter will try 2 or 3 before giving up. This is not that uncommon. The shooter just fails to pick up the brass. Shooters new to hand loading.

11-11-2012, 04:59 PM	#7
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,296	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers Ive never had one pop in the die when depriming live primers. Just go slow and easy and dont get your face near it. Why dont you just save them until you have enough of them to justify taking the decapper rod out of your die to process them. No sense in wasting a perfectly good primer right? __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

11-16-2012, 06:12 PM	#12
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Re: Depriming cases with unfired primers Back on topic....I have never had a live primer go off when depriming. Just give a slow, steady push on the handle and you should be ok. Look on the bright side. If a primer does go off and ignites some loose powder in the vicinity, the chain reaction with the rest of the powder on the table will be so fast that you won't have time to stress about it before you are reduced to carbon. (smile) Just hackin on you.